The 49ers worked out former Texans linebacker Lynden Trail and ex-Chargers corner Chris Davis, Wilson tweets. Davis, 24, signed with the Bolts in 2014 as a UDFA out of Auburn. The Chargers cut Davis on September 1st.

The Colts worked out offensive guards Ben Heenan and Donald Thomas on Saturday, Wilson tweets. Indianapolis also brought in linebacker Josh Martin for a visit, Wilson adds.

Former Seahawks wide receiver Douglas McNeil is working out for the Panthers today, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (link).

The Broncos working out tight end Matt LaCosse today, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (link).

]]>0Broncos To Release James Caseyhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/10/broncos-release-james-casey
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/10/broncos-release-james-casey#commentsFri, 09 Oct 2015 20:05:11 +0000https://pfr.traderumors.com/?p=21062The Broncos are going to release fullback/tight end James Casey, a league source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Casey inked a one-year deal with the Broncos back in April.

The Broncos will make this move in order to clear room for Derek Wolfe, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (via Twitter). Wolfe is returning from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

Casey has appeared in three games so far for Denver but he has ye to record a carry or a reception. Currently, the veteran is dealing with a knee injury and prior to today’s news he was said to be questionable for Sunday’s tilt against the Raiders.

After being released by the Eagles in late February, the veteran received interest from a variety of clubs, including the Cardinals, Titans, Browns, Jaguars, Bengals and Washington. Casey first visited with Denver in late February but he didn’t put pen to paper until a couple of months later.

A 2009 fifth-round pick out of Rice, Casey saw his snap count progressively increase during his tenure with the Texans. His best season came in 2012, when he caught 34 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. In 2013, he inked a three-year, $14.6MM contract with the Eagles. His role was diminished while playing in Philadelphia, as his snap count decreased from 609 in 2012 to only 173 last season. Still, Casey continued his six-year run of receiving a positive rating from Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

As a former Texan, Casey has a history with coach Gary Kubiak who also encouraged Denver to sign tight end Owen Daniels earlier this offseason. Daniels hasn’t set the world on fire offensively in 2015, but he has seen far more burn than Casey.

]]>1Contract Details: Crabtree, Ridley, Caseyhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/04/contract-details-crabtree-ridley-casey
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/04/contract-details-crabtree-ridley-casey#respondWed, 15 Apr 2015 14:31:20 +0000http://pfr.traderumors.com/?p=16209The details for a few of the more notable recent free agent signings are in, so let’s take a look at some specifics, starting with the newest wide receiver in Oakland….

11:29am: Former Texans fullback/tight end James Casey will be reunited with former coach Gary Kubiak, as the Broncos have announced (via Twitter) that they have signed the 3o-year-old.

After being released by the Eagles in late February, the veteran received interest from a variety of clubs, including the Cardinals, Titans, Browns, Jaguars, Bengals and Washington. Casey visited with Denver in late February, but ultimately left without signing a contract.

A 2009 fifth-round pick out of Rice, Casey saw his snap count progressively increase during his tenure with the Texans. His best season came in 2012, when he caught 34 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. In 2013, he inked a three-year, $14.6MM contract with the Eagles. His role was diminished while playing in Philadelphia, as his snap count decreased from 609 in 2012 to only 173 last season. Still, Casey continued his six-year run of receiving a positive rating from Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Of course, Casey isn’t the first former Texan to be brought in by Kubiak. The new Broncos head coach also signed tight end Owen Daniels earlier this offseason.

With Cam Newton‘s contract situation being a priority in Carolina, Newton says the Panthers likely won’t make any progress on an extension for Luke Kuechly until next season.

The Lions releasing Reggie Bush is not an indication that they’ll draft a running back early, says Michael Rothstein. The team still has Joique Bell and Theo Riddick, so there doesn’t need to be any panic from the organization to replace the former second-overall pick. With the said, Rothstein still believes the team will select a running back, albeit much later in the draft.

Dan Graziano believes Bush would be the type of running back the Giants would be looking to acquire. However, the writer says that the team wasn’t among the organizations that displayed initial interest in the veteran.

Rob Demovsky says the Packers could keep both Tramon Williams and Davon House, but he notes that it’s unlikely for both players to remain on the roster. After all, the team is looking to expand Casey Hayward‘s role, meaning one of the two defensive backs would be on the outside looking in.

John Keim opines that Washington needs to improve their tight end depth. The writer says the team can’t rely on Jordan Reed, and he adds that Logan Paulsen is most productive as a blocker. Keim points to former Eagles tight end James Casey, noting that Washington has already shown interest in the 30-year-old.

]]>0James Casey Visiting Several Teamshttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/02/james-casey-visit-cards-broncos
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/02/james-casey-visit-cards-broncos#respondThu, 26 Feb 2015 17:11:15 +0000http://pfr.traderumors.com/?p=1367110:02pm: Casey’s visit with the Broncos concluded without a contract, according to the Denver Post’s Mike Klis. He will move on to his other summits.

THURSDAY, 11:11am: Caplan (via Twitter) adds a few more clubs to Casey’s list of suitors, reporting that the tight end also has visits scheduled with the Jaguars, the Bengals, and Washington.

WEDNESDAY, 8:07am: After meeting with the Cardinals and Broncos, Casey will move on to visit the Titans and Browns, according to Caplan (via Twitter). Caplan adds (via Twitter) that at least eight teams have requested to have Casey in for a visit, as clubs value his positional versatility and recognize that 2015’s tight end draft class is weak.

MONDAY, 3:48pm: Tight end James Casey got a head start on the 2015 free agent market last week when the Eagles released him from his contract, and he’s taking full advantage of that. According to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 (Twitter link), Casey is scheduled to visit the Cardinals this week. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com confirms Jurecki’s report and adds (viaTwitter) that two or three other teams would also like to bring in Casey, who is scheduled to meet with the Broncos after his sitdown with the Cards.

Casey, 30, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Texans, parlaying a solid 2012 season into a three-year, $12MM deal with the Eagles. Although he caught 34 balls during his final year in Houston, Casey wasn’t used as a pass-catcher in Philadelphia, having totaled just six receptions on nine targets in two seasons with the team. He was released last week without any discussions about taking a pay cut, and is expected to seek out a situation where he’ll have a larger role than he did with the Eagles.

In 2014, the Cardinals relied primarily on John Carlson and Rob Housler at tight end, so it makes sense that the club would target a player like Casey. Housler is eligible for unrestricted free agency next month, and Carlson didn’t have a great year — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him 65th out of 67 qualified TEs, grading him poorly as a pass catcher, pass blocker, and run blocker.

The Broncos would be a logical fit for Casey as well, since Julius Thomas is expected to land elsewhere as a free agent and Virgil Green‘s contract is also expiring.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report

]]>0West Notes: Wilson, Hudson, Culliver, Caseyhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/02/west-notes-wilson-hudson-culliver-casey
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/02/west-notes-wilson-hudson-culliver-casey#respondTue, 24 Feb 2015 00:24:58 +0000http://pfr.traderumors.com/?p=13686As Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) explains, the idea that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson could land a fully guaranteed contract is causing concern for both team executives and agents. Team execs are worried about the precedent that a fully guaranteed deal might set, while agents are concerned that a full guarantee may prompt Wilson to settle for a salary several million dollars less than what he might otherwise land.

Let’s look at some more notes from the NFL’s West divisions…

The Chiefs met with the representative for center Rodney Hudson at the combine in Indianapolis, and talks will continue between the two sides, a source tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitterlinks). Paylor writes that he expects Hudson – a prospective free agent – to command a per-year salary in the neighborhood of $6MM this winter.

The free agent market for cornerbacks is devoid of depth, but 49ers CB Chris Culliver might find more offers than expected when free agency starts next month, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As Florio details, Culliver has had off-the-field trouble, but “chatter” around the league suggest he could find a healthy amount of suitors.

The Cowboys were pleased with Brandon Weeden‘s work as Tony Romo‘s backup in 2014, but won’t rule out the possibility of upgrading at that spot if the opportunity presents itself, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. “Everybody is always competing in this league,” Jones said. “There is nobody guaranteed anything. That includes Weeden and everybody.”

Prior to their release of tight end James Casey today, the Eagles didn’t have any discussions about reducing Casey’s salary and keeping him, tweets Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. According to Bowen, the veteran is looking for a bigger role than he had in Philadelphia, so he may get that opportunity with a new team.

Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com believes the Eagles may find a logical trade partner in the Buccaneers, since GM JasonLicht hasn’t been shy about making deals since taking over the job. In Mosher’s view, Bucs safety Dashon Goldson makes sense as a trade target for Philadelphia.

The issue for the Dolphins when it comes to Mike Wallace isn’t as simple as cutting or keeping the veteran wideout, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who writes that the team is almost certainly trying to restructure Wallace’s deal, or get him to take a pay cut.

12:54pm: The Eagles will clear some salary cap room for 2015 by parting ways with James Casey, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team will release the veteran tight end. Casey had one year left on his deal, which was set to expire after the 2015 season.

Casey, 30, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Texans, parlaying a solid 2012 season into a three-year, $12MM deal with the Eagles. Although he caught 34 balls during his final year in Houston, Casey hasn’t been used as a pass-catcher in Philadelphia, having totaled just six receptions on nine targets in two seasons with the team.

Casey has still been a positive contributor for the Eagles, grading as an above-average run blocker, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, considering he only played 173 offensive snaps in 2014, it makes sense that the team would view his $4MM salary for 2015 as exorbitant. That entire $4MM figure is non-guaranteed, so releasing Casey clears a nice chunk of cap space for the Eagles.

As a veteran with six years of NFL experience, Casey will immediately be free to sign with another team once the Eagles make the transaction official.

]]>0NFC Links: Eagles, Lynch, Suh, Panthershttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/02/nfc-links-eagles-lynch-suh-panthers
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/02/nfc-links-eagles-lynch-suh-panthers#respondSat, 07 Feb 2015 15:28:25 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=13133Former offensive tackle Tra Thomas was a member of the Eagles coaching staff this past season, but the 40-year-old wasn’t retained for 2015. Thomas spent time as a full-time assistant on both offense and defense, and he felt like he was actually making an impact on the players.

As a result, it was a surprise when he learned he wouldn’t be back with the organization next season.

“I was a little bit surprised just because when I switched over to the outside linebackers, they improved last year,” Thomas said on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philly (via Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com). “The last season, they put up 16 sacks, and then you switch me over to the other side, I start working with ’em, and then this past season we put up 26.5 sacks. Connor Barwin went from five sacks to 14.5 sacks. So I was a little bit surprised just because you can look at the numbers and see that there was improvement in that group. But it’s just the way it goes.

“I went in and asked Coach [Kelly] what my situation was gonna be, and what I was told was that position I had was just kind of something they made up for me to get me some experience on this side of the game, and that it’s not gonna exist next year.”

It isn’t a guarantee that running back Marshawn Lynch will play in the NFL next season, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. With only one year remaining on his contract, Florio believes the threat of Lynch not playing could be enough to force the Seahawks to pay the running back. According to the writer, there’s also a chance that the 28-year-old has simply decided he’s “had enough.”

]]>0New Year’s Roundup: Jets, Coaches, Colstonhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/01/new-years-roundup-jets-coaches-colston
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/01/new-years-roundup-jets-coaches-colston#respondFri, 02 Jan 2015 02:55:56 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=12027The Jets are moving very quickly in their search for a new GM, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. The team interviewed Browns personnel executive Bill Kuharich in New Jersey this morning and is currently interviewing Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner. Citing a league source, Costello also tweets that New York plans to interview Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan and Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller on Sunday or Monday. Costello reiterates (via Twitter) that the Jets would like to hire a GM before making a decision on a new head coach, but they of course must stay active in the head coaching market lest they lose a top candidate to another club. According to another tweet from Costello, one of the most significant questions the Jets are asking GM candidates is what coaches they would like to work with.

As much of the country fixates on the Sugar Bowl, let’s take a look at a few other notes from around the league:

John Mullin of CSNChicago.com notes a couple of early patterns in the Bears‘ search for a new head coach and GM, pointing out that the early coaching candidates “have a preponderance of winning in their immediate pasts” and that the team is not concerned whether their new coach has more of an offensive or defensive pedigree.

With a new mega-deal in his near future, Cowboys star wideout Dez Bryant is focused on Sunday’s playoff game against the Lions, not his next contract, writes Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. Byrant said, “I’m just going to keep working. I can’t worry about the contract.”

Saints wide receiver Marques Colston knows his future in New Orleans is up in the air, and Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes that, although Colston would like to stay with the only team he has ever known, he may be released or asked to take a pay cut with two years remaining on his current contract. If asked to take a reduction in pay, Colston said his relationship with Drew Brees and Sean Payton would play a role in his decision.

Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 tweets that the Buccaneers are expected to request an interview with Titans tight ends coach Mike Mularkey for their vacant offensive coordinator position.

]]>0Eagles Notes: Foles, Kendricks, OTAs, Caseyhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/06/eagles-notes-foles-kendricks-otas-casey
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/06/eagles-notes-foles-kendricks-otas-casey#respondTue, 10 Jun 2014 13:52:32 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=5987The Eagles likely kept a close eye on negotiations between Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers and the new contract that eventually emerged from those talks, since it’s just a matter of time until Philadelphia will have to discuss an extension with its own quarterback. But for his part, Nick Foles insists he’s not thinking about cashing in, as Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com details.

“The most important thing is you get a contract like that because you’ve played well and you’ve shown that you can be that guy for the franchise, whereas I have to continue to prove that each and every day,” Foles said. “I have a lot of guys on this team that look to me to go out here and work hard. When I’m playing out there, there’s no dollar sign on me when I’m throwing the ball.”

As Foles continues to focus on proving his worth to the Eagles, let’s check in on a few other updates out of Philadelphia….

Linebacker Mychal Kendricks has been playing a vocal role on defense for the Eagles this spring, calling plays and taking on other responsibilities that are typically assigned to DeMeco Ryans, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. McLane isn’t sure exactly why the club is leaning more heavily on Kendricks, but wonders if the Eagles are preparing for a time when Ryans is no longer on the roster.

Although tight end James Casey will accept whatever role the Eagles hand him, he hopes to prove his value on offense in addition to special teams this season, as he tells Kevin Rossi of CSNPhilly.com. Casey, who has two years left on his deal, is slated to earn $3.985MM in 2014.

]]>0Eagles Notes: Cooper, Maclin, Peters, Allenhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/01/eagles-notes-cooper-maclin-peters-allen
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/01/eagles-notes-cooper-maclin-peters-allen#respondSat, 25 Jan 2014 16:23:22 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=1464With free agency looming and approximately $20MM worth of cap space to work with, the Eagles have decisions to make on key players. At the top of the list are receivers Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin. The belief among NFL people is that both players will be back next season, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.

A combination of factors could work to keep the 26-year-old Cooper, whom GM Howie Roseman calls a “young asset,” in Philadelphia. Cooper made a favorable impression on Chip Kelly, but other GMs could be reluctant to bring him into the locker room after last summer’s incident.

Maclin, 25, has been a playmaker when healthy, and his skill set is ideal for Kelly’s system, but he’s coming off his second right ACL tear. Consequently, Maclin acknowledges he might be willing to settle for a one-year, “prove-it” contract in an effort to cash in next year.

The team is pleased with its three tight ends. Zach Ertz is a bargain on his rookie deal, while Brent Celek ($4MM) and James Casey ($3.99MM) are reasonably priced, meaning the trio could remain intact.

DeMeco Ryans is scheduled to make $6.8MM next year and might have to take a pay cut to stay.

Franchise left tackle Jason Peters has one year remaining at $9.65MM and could be in line for an extension.

Free safety Nate Allen is also a free agent and a question mark to return. A second-round pick in 2010, Allen has not taken his game to the level expected when he was drafted, and was “afraid to hit,” according to an unnamed former coach.